$600,000 in Grants Available for Projects Addressing Fish Stocks, Environmental Conditions
Federal officials are seeking proposals through Nov. 4 for grants for citizen science projects to address data gaps in assessing the health of marine fish stocks or how fisheries and fishing communities may be impacted by changing environmental conditions.
The Department of Commerce and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced the $600,000 funding opportunity on Aug. 5.
The money comes via the Biden administration’s Inflation Reduction Act, the largest climate investment in U.S. history. It follows a NOAA Fisheries announcement in June 2023 highlighting that agency’s intent to use $145 million of Inflation Reduction Act funds focused on transforming NOAA Fisheries’ data enterprise.
“Given the impacts of climate change on fisheries, it’s crucial to have a comprehensive understanding of shifts in commercial, recreational and subsistence fishing, as well as their associated communities,” NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator Janet Coit said. “Observations from people living in affected communities, what we call citizen science, has the potential to give us a better understanding of climate impacts and help us navigate those challenges.”
The funds are expected to support three to eight different projects at about $75,000 to $200,000 per project during fiscal years 2025-2026. The research is expected to help increase the number and types of observations NOAA can make, accelerating the collection and delivery of data, and contributing to timely and accurate management decisions for vulnerable species and sustainable fisheries.
Projects should be designed with scientific quality and data credibility as core considerations and are available to applicants including individuals, academic institutions, for-profit and nonprofit organizations, state governments and tribal and local organizations.
Applications may be submitted through https://tinyurl.com/yysn9fpe. Additional information for applicants is available at https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov.
